Until recently, I have only ever used my mountain bike for recreational rides on dirt roads, 4WD tracks etc, not much on narrow, twisty tracks impoosible for a vehicle. Now, I am getting interested in more tricky terrain - but still not anything like racing, jumping off drops, riding up flights of steps etc.

What is the best way to deal with tracks eroded into a narrow slot just a bit wider than the tyre? There are lost of places here where the track is only half a metre wide, worn down into a V with a trench in the bottom. Once in, there is no way out until the other end. How to maintain control when there is almost no room to turn the front wheel?

Nobody younger than <del>27</del> 28 has experienced a month cooler than the 20th century average.

Sounds like erosion gullies? Nnnngggg.... I'd normally say it's best not to ride them due to trail damage potential, but if that's all you've got, what do you do?

The trick is to keep the bike under you, be off the seat and keep your pedals level at 9 and 3 with your strong foot forward, and only go as fast as you feel comfortable. Trailing the rear brake so that you've got something to brace and ratchet the pedals against helps with bike stability in semi-trackstand situations like these can be.

When the trail turns, you can use the rut wall like banking in a corner.

To understand what I mean by ratcheting, check out what Chris Akrigg does with his pedals working his way over the rocks from 1:35 to 1:55 in this video: where he knows he's going to ground his pedals, he simply rocks them back and forth instead without doing a full rotation. What blows me is how he does it equally well on either leg.

I just try to avoid them, but if I cant and I end up in one I usually try to bunny hop out as soon as I can. Not so bad on a FR or AM bike because the large tyres seem to cushion it and make it easier to maintain contron, but on an xc bike I just get out of it ASAP. Gone OTB way too many times trying to just "ride it out" at speed!

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